In the Season 8 premiere of our Loveshaped Life podcast, hosts Bob and Nathan explore Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount teaching on fasting from Matthew 6. Joined by Jan, who offers a non-pastoral perspective, “Power in Pause” challenges listeners to reconsider fasting as intentional connection with God rather than performative religion. The hosts unpack Jesus’s critique of hypocritical religious leaders who fasted publicly for social recognition, contrasting this with authentic spirituality that emphasizes internal transformation.

The episode explores fasting beyond food abstinence as a holistic practice creating space to pause and gain spiritual clarity. Through personal testimonies, Bob, Nathan, and Jan discuss various fasting forms—from traditional food restrictions to social media detox—highlighting how these pauses restore self-control and create opportunities for spiritual breakthrough. They draw parallels between Christian practices and mindfulness while emphasizing that transformation comes through active engagement with God who heals and reshapes from within.

“Power in Pause” invites listeners to move beyond religious performance toward authentic spiritual journey. The hosts challenge audiences to pause deliberately, creating spaces where God can work. By dismantling performative spirituality and championing intimate faith, the episode offers a refreshing perspective that is intellectually rigorous and deeply personal. The core message: true spiritual transformation happens through humble, intentional moments of surrender and openness to God’s inner working.

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In this final episode of season seven, Nathan, Bob, and Otavio conclude their series on Jesus' teaching about prayer by exploring forgiveness—one of the most challenging aspects of spiritual life. This isn't about religious obligation or being nice—it's about breaking free from chains that imprison us long after the original offense.

The conversation reveals why Jesus, after teaching the Lord's Prayer, circles back to emphasize only forgiveness. The hosts show how unforgiveness functions as a spiritual blocker that short-circuits our relationship with God. Using the historical context of Roman oppression, they demonstrate how Jesus called people to radical heart transformation that would make them "the light of the world." The episode explores the reciprocal relationship between receiving and extending forgiveness, using the metaphor of a flower opening to the sun's warmth.

The hosts offer practical frameworks including the distinction between forgiveness and reconciliation, the power of being "willing to be made willing," and a step-by-step process for beginning without committing to the outcome upfront. They share Corrie ten Boom's story of forgiving her sister's murderer and unpack Jesus' words from the cross—"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"—as the model for releasing offenders to God. Perfect for anyone wrestling with resentment or wondering how forgiveness unlocks God's love.

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In this fifth episode, Nathan, Otavio, and Bob explore the practical center of Jesus's model prayer, unpacking three transformative requests—daily bread, forgiveness, and protection—that address our most immediate needs. This isn't prayer as religious performance but honest conversation with a Father who cares about everything from physical hunger to our deepest struggles with shame.

The conversation begins with "Give us today our daily bread," exploring both physical and spiritual nourishment. Bob connects this to Jesus as "the bread of life," while Nathan emphasizes the "us" dimension—praying for the hungry in our communities and participating in addressing need. The hosts highlight how "daily" calls us to present-moment mindfulness rather than future anxiety.

The discussion moves to forgiveness, which Otavio calls the "not easy" part. Bob addresses forgiving ourselves, describing guilt and shame as the devil's tools, emphasizing we must choose to let ourselves be loved by God. Nathan explains forgiveness as a cycle—withholding it collapses our own healing and builds toxicity.

Finally, the hosts address protection from temptation, offering practical examples like website blockers for known weak points. Bob concludes encouragingly: God is more interested in picking us up than condemning our falls.

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In episode four of season seven of the Loveshaped Life podcast, Nathan, Otavio, and Bob dive into Jesus' revolutionary prayer model from Matthew 6:9-13, commonly known as the Lord's Prayer or "Our Father." Rather than treating these as sacred words to memorize and recite, the hosts explore how Jesus offers a radical framework that completely redefines both God's character and our approach to prayer.

Jesus begins by inviting people to call God "Father" - a shocking departure from the distant, unapproachable deity taught by religious leaders of his day. This wasn't just about accessibility, but about relationship with a God who cares more deeply than even the best earthly parent. The hosts discuss how this challenges both religious performance (avoiding the hypocrites) and pagan repetition (endless pleading), offering instead an intimate conversation with a loving Father.

The conversation unpacks three key prayer requests Jesus outlines: that God's name (character) be honored, that His kingdom come through heart transformation rather than political revolution, and that His will be done as we surrender our natural self-centeredness to His way of love. The hosts offer practical ways to apply this framework, suggesting that rather than reciting memorized words, listeners can use Jesus' model as a guide for authentic conversation with God - addressing Him as an accessible, caring parent and focusing on love displacing whatever negativity exists in our hearts toward others.

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Ever felt like prayer was just another religious hoop to jump through? Our third episode this season, explores what prayer actually is - genuine communication with God, not performance for others.

Drawing from Jesus' teachings, we unpack why authentic prayer primarily happens in quiet spaces rather than the spotlight. You'll discover how the "God with us" principle changes everything about approaching prayer - we're not shouting up to a distant deity, but engaging in intimate dialogue with someone already present.

We tackle the trap of turning prayer into a spiritual shopping list and explore the beautiful father-child relationship analogy. The truth? You matter to God simply because you exist, not for what you can produce.

Whether you're new to prayer or looking to rediscover its authentic power, this episode offers a fresh perspective that goes beyond religious performance to real relationship.

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In episode two of season seven of the Loveshaped Life podcast, Nathan, Otavio, and Bob explore Jesus’ challenging words from Matthew 6:1-4, about the danger of performing religious acts for public recognition. Jesus warns against practicing righteousness “to be seen by them,” calling out what the hosts describe as “click bait religion” - doing good deeds specifically to gain attention and praise. The discussion draws parallels to modern social media virtue signaling, where people post about charitable acts or social causes primarily to boost their public image rather than from genuine concern for others.

The hosts emphasize that Jesus isn’t discouraging charitable giving or good works, but rather addressing the heart motivation behind them. When religious practice becomes performance, it reinforces self-centered behavior instead of transforming it. God sees beyond external actions to the true motives of the heart, and acts done for recognition have “no reward from your Father in heaven.” The conversation explores how this performative approach creates a false perception of what pleases God and fails to address the fundamental human need for heart transformation - what the hosts refer to as sin - the fundamental shift in human nature from living for others’ wellbeing to living primarily for self-interest.

The episode concludes with practical application, challenging listeners to practice “secret giving” - tipping generously, volunteering, or serving others without telling anyone or posting about it on social media. This approach allows people to experience authentic generosity and creates what Bob calls a “circle of benevolence” - receiving from God’s love and allowing it to flow naturally to others. The hosts emphasize that true spiritual transformation requires supernatural change, not just external behavior modification, and that God offers this new heart through relationship with Jesus.

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Discover how Jesus's teachings can transform your life in ways you never expected. In Season 7, hosts Bob Hayes and Nathan Stearman are joined by Otavio McKenzie as they continue their journey through Jesus' revolutionary Sermon on the Mount, diving into the middle section (recorded in Matthew chapter 6). They explore these teachings not as religious doctrine, but as a practical guide for finding meaning beyond politics, work stress, and broken systems.

Each episode combines deep biblical insights with real-world application, creating a safe space for anyone questioning faith, seeking spiritual wellness, or wondering if there's something better than what our culture promises. Whether you're burned out on traditional religion or curious about authentic spirituality, we'll help you navigate the gap between religious performance and genuine relationship with God.

At Loveshaped Life, we believe every human heart longs for connection, purpose, and love that transcends human remedies. Through conversational teaching and personal stories, we explore how Divine love can reshape your relationships, leadership style, and daily life. No matter where you are on your spiritual journey, you're welcome here.

In this final episode of Season 6, Nathan and Bob tackle what might be Jesus’ most challenging teaching: loving our enemies. They explore how this ancient wisdom completely reframes what authentic love looks like by calling us to extend compassion beyond our comfortable boundaries.

Through their conversation, Nathan and Bob reveal how Jesus challenged the religious establishment that had justified hatred of outsiders, offering instead a revolutionary perspective: God loves everyone unconditionally—even those who oppose or hurt us. This teaching wasn’t just countercultural 2,000 years ago—it remains challenging in our own divided world.

This episode uncovers:

- How praying for those who hurt us transforms our own hearts first

- Why holding people accountable and loving them aren’t opposing concepts

- How this radical love distinguishes a transformed life from merely following social norms

- What it means to pursue “perfection” in love rather than impossible moral flawlessness

Whether you’re navigating political divisions, workplace tensions, family conflicts, or personal wounds, this episode offers a timely perspective that transcends human divisions. Join the conversation as Season 6 concludes with this powerful exploration of a love that can reshape how we see and treat everyone around us.

Connect with Loveshaped.Life at hello@loveshaped.life to learn more about their spiritual wellness coaching and supportive community.